Looks like Neo. pauciflora. Give it some more light (and/or feed it less) if you want it to develop the typical flask shape and purplish grey color.

Are you sure it's a neo ?..It could be a Billbergia or Aechmea ? If it is a neo, then it looks like it might be a species like pineliana or princeps or a hybrid that has used them ?

We must have been posting at the same time Lisa...how do you get pauciflora from overly long strappy leaves ? I wouldn't have thought overfeeding would strap it out that bad..(even the little pup too?)

Overfeeding or low light, Graeme. Neos are highly reactive to their environments. Check the link below. The purplish one on the left was probably originally grown in higher light, but the newer pups in this location have gotten green and strappy.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:502947}}

Guess you are spot on with that photo evidence Lisa ! I wouldn't have thought pauciflora (large or small forms) would have strapped out that bad in a zillion years, guess you learn sumthin' every day huh ! I spose those centre markings on the mother plant also confirm it's likely to be pauciflora. Sure does make it hard to I.D things when growing conditions play such a big part in appearances doesn't it !..(ahem..unless you are Lisa of course !!, well done. ;-)
Cheers
Graeme

To make you happy Graeme,i concur with Lisa,its a Neo and its a Pauciflora ,they can get very strappy if grown the wrong way , Jack

Hi Everybody,

The thought that pauciflora played a roll I kind of thought based on the unique patterning and was inclined to believe it was a hybrid with it. I have never imagined that a plant could grow so distorted over time. As graykiwi also said, I always learn something here on the forum. Thanks to everybody and special thanks to Lisa!

I post another photo with a normal pauciflora next to it just for the sake of proportions because I think one cannot see on the first photo just how straaappy it really is. One could also compare the leaves and the cup that are both narrower than those of the (purple?) ampullacea on the far right. Note: There are two more paucifloras on the far left of the photo, just FYI.

As for growing conditions, this box is my Âbrom-kindergarten. It is for pups mainly that I do not know what to do with (e.g. keeper or not, no time for potting etc). Plants get in and out as time passes and comparing plants not necessary makes sense. One thing is sure though. They get the very same treatment as any another plant outside the box. I water them when I water everything else, no extra mix to help root development and I have never fed them. The box is usually placed in the middle of 100% north window  light is certainly an issue.

The history is similar to that of the friendship plant, everybody got it from somebody, and at the person I got it from, it has this strappy look already.
Is it possible that it will keep this distorted form without ever turning back to the true form?

Have a good weekend to all of you.

Here is a link that might be useful:

It will keep that form as long as it is growing under those conditions. If you move it to a brighter spot, the old leaves won't change, but the new growth will.

Hi noid.guest,

Like Graeme, I would have never thought pauciflora could become that strappy, and your last pic. really exlains how you could have suspected it may have been a hybrid of pauciflora.

Living in Australia I don't experience the problems with low light that you do in your country and it's certainly a big 'eye opener' for me.

Finally, welcome to our forum. It's good to have a new member from Germany to join our ranks.

All the best, Nev.

Thank you Nev.

Pauciflora likes it really dry where I live.